Finally a day that was quickly proving to be fantastic weather. After a hearty breakfast we were off to the beach. There are beaches all along the coast and so within a ten minute walk we were feeling the sand between our toes and could hear the water lapping against the shore.
And really at the end of the day we didn't accomplish anything other than a healthy color in the cheeks a few laps to the buoy and back flipping every six songs and ice cream for the stroll back. And that my friends with winter fast approaching is the perfect way to spend a September day in Palma.
Topped it off with a little shopping along our hotel strip a subpar meal ordering the safest thing on the menu and another incredible lightning storm. We sadly bid a 'see ya later' to Palma.
Showing posts with label mallorca. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mallorca. Show all posts
Friday, September 18, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Day 11 - Discovering the Mallorcan Coastline
Today started with a lovely breakfast at our hotel. Lots of coffee, delightful bread, eggs, fruit, meat, cheeses - too yummy really. We needed to be all ready to head out on our adventure by 10:30 as that was when the rental car would arrive.
Not really sure why they would be close to punctual but by 11:15 we were disappointed that they hadn't arrived yet. Jimmy called to find out their new ETA and by 12:30 we were on our way to discover some of what the island has to offer.
Our first stop was Genova. Apparently it has some of the most beautiful caves on the island. But not so beautiful that they need any signs for tourists. However, after a few wrong turns we stumbled upon a sign pointing us to the parking lot. We ponied up the 8 euro each and we were ready. The little man arrives with his little flashlight after a few minutes of waiting. He queries 'Dutch' to which Jimmy replies 'Canada, English' and this is where our adventures begin.
Other than knowing enough English to cover his basic script following every two or three word phrase by 'okay' the tour involved a lot of flashlights, fantasies and back lighting. He would repeat himself over and over again if we didn't approriatley respond when he would look to us for validation with his 'Okay' punctuation mark. Telling us to shut it while he played fantasy music and showed us fantasy cauliflower. We think this man has spent far too many hours in the cave as he sees images in all the stalactites and stalagmites. But in all honesty, the caves were beyond stunning and a neat island adventure.
Next stop was the beach. We wanted to time the stop so that we could take full advantage of the sun. After much driving along the coast through resort town after resort town we caught a glimpse of some beautiful spots. We headed off the main road to see what we could find and drove into a dead end. Upon further investigation (and validation by another couple who were doing the same thing) we headed down the steep rocky embankment to a little cove down below for a refreshing swim and some sun! It was absolutely gorgeous there.
It looked like some weather was rolling in so we headed out to finish the loop around. The road opened up into another beautiful fishing village with a little tourist strip so we stopped to check out the action and grab a bite. The fishing boats were trawlers and had much sharper bows (I pointed that out to Jimmy . . . ha ha ha . . . just kidding . . . i still don't know if the bow is the right or left side . . . ha ha ha. . . ;-)!!) but the fishermen looked the same. Weathered from many sunny days on the sea and glad to be home with money in their boat.
From this port we wound around for a couple of hours and came upon the mountain ridge that we had been hearing about. Crazy as the forest looks tropical but the rocks still have the jagged edges and layers like home. The road became much more narrow with hairpin turns and very few spots to pull over for pictures. And as such, we weren't able to capture much of the beauty to share with you. But I can say it is among the most beautiful sights I have ever seen.
Since we were driving along the west coast, we were able to watch the sunset over the sea with the cliffs below. And this is when Jimmy's real adventure began. The roads are well maintained but they barely fit two cars, have crazy sharp edges, no shoulders, treacherous cliffs and turns that are amazingly sharp. At times it felt like we were doing a 270 degree blind turn. We laughed over the fact that the speed limit was posted as 50 and yet we were clinging to the side handles barely going 40 km/h. It was incredible and truly stunning!!!
Towns built right into the side of the cliff that have been there since the island has been inhabited. The road markers indicating where to turn have been faded by many years in the sun. We enjoyed every minute of it but were extra glad to arrive back safe and sound. Ha . . . whose kidding who . . . Jimmy was glad the car was back safe and sound as there were more than a couple of times when you wouldn't be able to fit a hair between the side mirror and the mountain. I was just a secondary thought. He barely wanted to pay for the insurance on me . . . I reminded him how much he likes my chocolate chip cookies . . . he soon forked over the extra 10 euros!!!
Not really sure why they would be close to punctual but by 11:15 we were disappointed that they hadn't arrived yet. Jimmy called to find out their new ETA and by 12:30 we were on our way to discover some of what the island has to offer.
Our first stop was Genova. Apparently it has some of the most beautiful caves on the island. But not so beautiful that they need any signs for tourists. However, after a few wrong turns we stumbled upon a sign pointing us to the parking lot. We ponied up the 8 euro each and we were ready. The little man arrives with his little flashlight after a few minutes of waiting. He queries 'Dutch' to which Jimmy replies 'Canada, English' and this is where our adventures begin.
Other than knowing enough English to cover his basic script following every two or three word phrase by 'okay' the tour involved a lot of flashlights, fantasies and back lighting. He would repeat himself over and over again if we didn't approriatley respond when he would look to us for validation with his 'Okay' punctuation mark. Telling us to shut it while he played fantasy music and showed us fantasy cauliflower. We think this man has spent far too many hours in the cave as he sees images in all the stalactites and stalagmites. But in all honesty, the caves were beyond stunning and a neat island adventure.
Next stop was the beach. We wanted to time the stop so that we could take full advantage of the sun. After much driving along the coast through resort town after resort town we caught a glimpse of some beautiful spots. We headed off the main road to see what we could find and drove into a dead end. Upon further investigation (and validation by another couple who were doing the same thing) we headed down the steep rocky embankment to a little cove down below for a refreshing swim and some sun! It was absolutely gorgeous there.
It looked like some weather was rolling in so we headed out to finish the loop around. The road opened up into another beautiful fishing village with a little tourist strip so we stopped to check out the action and grab a bite. The fishing boats were trawlers and had much sharper bows (I pointed that out to Jimmy . . . ha ha ha . . . just kidding . . . i still don't know if the bow is the right or left side . . . ha ha ha. . . ;-)!!) but the fishermen looked the same. Weathered from many sunny days on the sea and glad to be home with money in their boat.
From this port we wound around for a couple of hours and came upon the mountain ridge that we had been hearing about. Crazy as the forest looks tropical but the rocks still have the jagged edges and layers like home. The road became much more narrow with hairpin turns and very few spots to pull over for pictures. And as such, we weren't able to capture much of the beauty to share with you. But I can say it is among the most beautiful sights I have ever seen.
Since we were driving along the west coast, we were able to watch the sunset over the sea with the cliffs below. And this is when Jimmy's real adventure began. The roads are well maintained but they barely fit two cars, have crazy sharp edges, no shoulders, treacherous cliffs and turns that are amazingly sharp. At times it felt like we were doing a 270 degree blind turn. We laughed over the fact that the speed limit was posted as 50 and yet we were clinging to the side handles barely going 40 km/h. It was incredible and truly stunning!!!
Towns built right into the side of the cliff that have been there since the island has been inhabited. The road markers indicating where to turn have been faded by many years in the sun. We enjoyed every minute of it but were extra glad to arrive back safe and sound. Ha . . . whose kidding who . . . Jimmy was glad the car was back safe and sound as there were more than a couple of times when you wouldn't be able to fit a hair between the side mirror and the mountain. I was just a secondary thought. He barely wanted to pay for the insurance on me . . . I reminded him how much he likes my chocolate chip cookies . . . he soon forked over the extra 10 euros!!!
Day 10 - Rainy Day in Palma
You guys are seriously going to think I become the biggest ditz when I have vacation brain but it is all for very good reason. At least that is what i tell myself. And this morning was no different . . .
I decided after having crazy hair for the entire trip (just enough humidity to make it frizzy and the blow dryers are either extra hot frying your hair or barely dribble out any air so after 20 minutes, it's still sopping wet!!!) that I would curl it all cute. That usually gives me 2 days of fantastic wear. First day down and the second day in a swooshy pony tail. And yes for all the gentlemen reading this blog these are important details. In fact details us ladies dream about as we must look photo worthy at any moment when on vacation. You never know when you might catch the most beautiful glimpse of something that requires a self portrait. And let's face it . . . Jimmy is cute . . . but we all know who looks better in front of a fountain or war hero monument ;-)!!!
So i jump out of bed, plug in my curling iron being careful to use the adaptor and then the converter, tie my hair up so it won't get wet in the shower. After a few minutes picking out my outfit and organizing my suitcase, I am ready to hit the shower. Suddenly I smell something hot. Then I hear a slight sizzle as the lights in the entire hotel room turn off. Next I notice a faint black smoke coming out of the converter box. Oh dear, this doesn't look good. And it smells even worse!!!! I proceed to shower in the dark pondering this situation. What kind of extra bill will that be for the hotel room. And i even used the converter. Double checked and sure enough I had it on the right ampage setting!!
After alerting Jimmy to the situation he headed down to the hotel desk to inform them. They ensured they would have someone up to look at it. As we were waiting, Jimmy re-read the converter small print: 'do not use in cases of constant heat like curling irons and blow dryers'! But the Best Buy employee indicated this was exactly the type of converter we needed. Argh!!!!!!!!!
The technician soon knocked at the door. Jimmy explained the problem. The guy removed a lovely picture off the wall revealing the breaker box. Once the breaker was flipped, the lights blinked their way to life. And all was good. Except, of course, for the still smouldering converter box on the patio. And the jury is out as to how the curling iron survived the incident. So much for cute hair. Really, frizz is quite fashionable this season!!!!!
So after that ordeal, it was time for lunch. Unfortunately, the weather was not being kind and again it started to rain. We pondered the days itinerary and decided to head into Palma. Then tomorrow we will rent a car to do the south west side of the island which is supposed to be the prettiest. And the following day was supposed to be sun sun sun which of course means the beaches and a scooter will be calling our names!!!!!
The hotel is again in a fantastic location. The pools are crystal clear, the restaurants overlook the pool and the sea, every room has a balcony with a sea view and the bus stops right outside the hotel to take you directly into Palma's shopping and sightseeing district. So that is exactly what we decided to do!!!!!
Palma is a much smaller city but certainly has all the amenities a large city would have. Apparently it is also home to the busiest airport in Europe which could explain why there are so many hotels, restaurants and fantastic shopping spots.
After wandering around the stores for a while, the heavens opened up again. I had packed an umbrella but it wasn't quite big enough for two. So we wandered around in the rain looking for a coffee shop to stop for a cappuccino and try out one of these famous ensamaidas that mallorcan culture is known for. Unfortunately that took a fair amount of wandering so another umbrella was in order instead!! LOL!!!!!
Finally we found a little coffee shop. Shared the most delightful ensamaida filled with whipping cream. Dried out a bit and headed off again.
Suddenly the sun appeared. The weather is kind of crazy over here. But we won't complain about the sun when we see it!!! It was delightful to wander the little streets in search of the cathedral. The building are gorgeous!! The streets even more quaint than Barcelona and the cathedrals slightly smaller but every bit as ornate and awe inspiring.
Before we knew it, our stomachs were growling and the rain was again rolling in. We stopped in this little tapas place, people watched, ate tiny little grilled baguette sandwiches, bacon wrapped dates and meatballs and enjoyed the fact that we beat the crowds as the rain started.
When there was a break in the rain, we headed out to find our way home. Cities always look so different under the blanket of night. The neon lights make certain establishments stand out that otherwise you would pass by without giving a second thought. And little markets slip by unnoticed. I love the transition. You never know what new things you may see!!!!
Good night all!!!! We promise more adventures to share!!!!!
I decided after having crazy hair for the entire trip (just enough humidity to make it frizzy and the blow dryers are either extra hot frying your hair or barely dribble out any air so after 20 minutes, it's still sopping wet!!!) that I would curl it all cute. That usually gives me 2 days of fantastic wear. First day down and the second day in a swooshy pony tail. And yes for all the gentlemen reading this blog these are important details. In fact details us ladies dream about as we must look photo worthy at any moment when on vacation. You never know when you might catch the most beautiful glimpse of something that requires a self portrait. And let's face it . . . Jimmy is cute . . . but we all know who looks better in front of a fountain or war hero monument ;-)!!!
So i jump out of bed, plug in my curling iron being careful to use the adaptor and then the converter, tie my hair up so it won't get wet in the shower. After a few minutes picking out my outfit and organizing my suitcase, I am ready to hit the shower. Suddenly I smell something hot. Then I hear a slight sizzle as the lights in the entire hotel room turn off. Next I notice a faint black smoke coming out of the converter box. Oh dear, this doesn't look good. And it smells even worse!!!! I proceed to shower in the dark pondering this situation. What kind of extra bill will that be for the hotel room. And i even used the converter. Double checked and sure enough I had it on the right ampage setting!!
After alerting Jimmy to the situation he headed down to the hotel desk to inform them. They ensured they would have someone up to look at it. As we were waiting, Jimmy re-read the converter small print: 'do not use in cases of constant heat like curling irons and blow dryers'! But the Best Buy employee indicated this was exactly the type of converter we needed. Argh!!!!!!!!!
The technician soon knocked at the door. Jimmy explained the problem. The guy removed a lovely picture off the wall revealing the breaker box. Once the breaker was flipped, the lights blinked their way to life. And all was good. Except, of course, for the still smouldering converter box on the patio. And the jury is out as to how the curling iron survived the incident. So much for cute hair. Really, frizz is quite fashionable this season!!!!!
So after that ordeal, it was time for lunch. Unfortunately, the weather was not being kind and again it started to rain. We pondered the days itinerary and decided to head into Palma. Then tomorrow we will rent a car to do the south west side of the island which is supposed to be the prettiest. And the following day was supposed to be sun sun sun which of course means the beaches and a scooter will be calling our names!!!!!
The hotel is again in a fantastic location. The pools are crystal clear, the restaurants overlook the pool and the sea, every room has a balcony with a sea view and the bus stops right outside the hotel to take you directly into Palma's shopping and sightseeing district. So that is exactly what we decided to do!!!!!
Palma is a much smaller city but certainly has all the amenities a large city would have. Apparently it is also home to the busiest airport in Europe which could explain why there are so many hotels, restaurants and fantastic shopping spots.
After wandering around the stores for a while, the heavens opened up again. I had packed an umbrella but it wasn't quite big enough for two. So we wandered around in the rain looking for a coffee shop to stop for a cappuccino and try out one of these famous ensamaidas that mallorcan culture is known for. Unfortunately that took a fair amount of wandering so another umbrella was in order instead!! LOL!!!!!
Finally we found a little coffee shop. Shared the most delightful ensamaida filled with whipping cream. Dried out a bit and headed off again.
Suddenly the sun appeared. The weather is kind of crazy over here. But we won't complain about the sun when we see it!!! It was delightful to wander the little streets in search of the cathedral. The building are gorgeous!! The streets even more quaint than Barcelona and the cathedrals slightly smaller but every bit as ornate and awe inspiring.
Before we knew it, our stomachs were growling and the rain was again rolling in. We stopped in this little tapas place, people watched, ate tiny little grilled baguette sandwiches, bacon wrapped dates and meatballs and enjoyed the fact that we beat the crowds as the rain started.
When there was a break in the rain, we headed out to find our way home. Cities always look so different under the blanket of night. The neon lights make certain establishments stand out that otherwise you would pass by without giving a second thought. And little markets slip by unnoticed. I love the transition. You never know what new things you may see!!!!
Good night all!!!! We promise more adventures to share!!!!!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Day 9 - Palma beckons us
Today started with a bit of an oops on my behalf. I was the keeper of the schedule and was certain last night that our flight left at 10. As as we were about to leave, I double checked the emails only to find that I had been checking the wrong day and the flight didn't actually leave until 11:20!!
Since we had been up late the night before, the extra sleep would have been nice but better too early than late!! Mercies I haven't proven to be the best navigator on this trip!!!!
But alas our flight was soon on it's way and as we flew over the island I was anxious to explore. You could see the changing shore front scenes from beaches to rocks and caves. The little farming land. Homes that look like they have been there for centuries. It was going to be a fun three days.
After grabbing some lunch at our hotel snack bar which overlooks the sea, it was time for a rest. Already you could feel the pace of life slow down and relax. All the little shops around the hotel were closed for their afternoon siesta except the tourist convenience stores with their plethora of floatables, selection of tacky beach bags and plenty of sunscreen.
Once we were back at the hotel, I grabbed a delightful nap and then we headed back down to the front desk. There they loaded us up with maps and best restaurant locations, the scooter rental localles and the most fantastic discotheques in the area. After all, Jimmy's moves really are dying to bust loose again.
To let you in on a little secret - my first rule of thumb when travelling somewhere new is to explore the hotel. Then you venture out to the immediate area around the hotel. Once you know what amenities are available within the near vicinity it is time to venture out within casual walking distance making note of the markets to buy fresh produce and snacks, the little coffee shops, breakfast specials, yummy dinner restaurants and of course any fantastic looking desserts.
As such with the hotel tips in mind, we were off to explore! We found a little shop flowing over with pearl jewellery. We stumbled upon a cute little beach strip and dipped our toes. We noted some coffee shops and a couple spots for tapas. We certainly noted the menus with pictures and kept walking. Found a few trattorias promising us delightfully yummy dishes and finally settles on a little Spanish bbq for appetizers. Mainly because they boasted these sought after empanadas which I was told I must try.
All I can say about the empanadas is that we started with one of each kind. We couldn't leave without ordering a second round and making note that we will have to come back again.
Enroute home, we thought this would be a great evening for cappuccino and dessert so when we found a cute patio with inviting smells we quickly stopped. And none too soon as we were about to find out what storms on the island can be like. The heavens opened up with huge bangs, the place lit up like daytime and then all went black. We could see by the glow of the candles that the rain was pounding down washing away the heat of summer.
After raining like this for an hour or two it let up so we could walk back to the hotel. Thankfully the power didn't stay off long. However it was a bit of a sleepless night as it started all over again and worse than before shortly after we arrived back at the hotel.
Craziness!!! I hope the weather lets up long enough for us to explore some of the beaches Mallorca is famous for!!!
Since we had been up late the night before, the extra sleep would have been nice but better too early than late!! Mercies I haven't proven to be the best navigator on this trip!!!!
But alas our flight was soon on it's way and as we flew over the island I was anxious to explore. You could see the changing shore front scenes from beaches to rocks and caves. The little farming land. Homes that look like they have been there for centuries. It was going to be a fun three days.
After grabbing some lunch at our hotel snack bar which overlooks the sea, it was time for a rest. Already you could feel the pace of life slow down and relax. All the little shops around the hotel were closed for their afternoon siesta except the tourist convenience stores with their plethora of floatables, selection of tacky beach bags and plenty of sunscreen.
Once we were back at the hotel, I grabbed a delightful nap and then we headed back down to the front desk. There they loaded us up with maps and best restaurant locations, the scooter rental localles and the most fantastic discotheques in the area. After all, Jimmy's moves really are dying to bust loose again.
To let you in on a little secret - my first rule of thumb when travelling somewhere new is to explore the hotel. Then you venture out to the immediate area around the hotel. Once you know what amenities are available within the near vicinity it is time to venture out within casual walking distance making note of the markets to buy fresh produce and snacks, the little coffee shops, breakfast specials, yummy dinner restaurants and of course any fantastic looking desserts.
As such with the hotel tips in mind, we were off to explore! We found a little shop flowing over with pearl jewellery. We stumbled upon a cute little beach strip and dipped our toes. We noted some coffee shops and a couple spots for tapas. We certainly noted the menus with pictures and kept walking. Found a few trattorias promising us delightfully yummy dishes and finally settles on a little Spanish bbq for appetizers. Mainly because they boasted these sought after empanadas which I was told I must try.
All I can say about the empanadas is that we started with one of each kind. We couldn't leave without ordering a second round and making note that we will have to come back again.
Enroute home, we thought this would be a great evening for cappuccino and dessert so when we found a cute patio with inviting smells we quickly stopped. And none too soon as we were about to find out what storms on the island can be like. The heavens opened up with huge bangs, the place lit up like daytime and then all went black. We could see by the glow of the candles that the rain was pounding down washing away the heat of summer.
After raining like this for an hour or two it let up so we could walk back to the hotel. Thankfully the power didn't stay off long. However it was a bit of a sleepless night as it started all over again and worse than before shortly after we arrived back at the hotel.
Craziness!!! I hope the weather lets up long enough for us to explore some of the beaches Mallorca is famous for!!!
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Less than a month away
Well as I sit here frantically thinking about all I have to do before I embark on my vacation season, I wanted to share with you the exciting places I will soon be seeing:
First stop - London!! I loved London when I was there a couple of years ago. I loved the people, the beautiful architecture, the window shopping and the fabulous Indian food!! I cannot wait to experience all of that again.
This time around we have added the London eye, Camden market and the Tower of London!! Oooh - I could squeal right now!
One thing that I will not be partaking in again . . . White Pepper (in case anyone was wondering)
Next on the Agenda - fabulous Barcelona. After watching Viky Christina Barcelona I was so excited to visit. Then when Jillian Harris visted there with all her boys, I knew it was fate.
Check out the movie trailer if you have never seen it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwT2fPy7nsY
It looks like the hotel is going to be amazing:
http://www.expohotelbarcelona.com/en/
And finally some photos of sites we will be seeing!
And then . . . before we head back to London for the weekend, we wanted to have a little beach time. So why not Mallorca! The island looks absolutely amazing . . .
And in case you were wondering about the beaches . . . check out our little hotel:
http://www.barcelo-albatros.com/
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